Chen Zhao said this, and the whole class was stunned.
Then the classroom erupted in laughter!
Even though they were in class, right in front of the teacher, the students were all covering their mouths and snickering. They just couldn't hold it in!
He knew every high school math problem? Anyone could ask him whatever they wanted? He'd solve it right there?
That was some claim—bigger than the sky!
Forget Chen Miaoran, the top student in the class. Even Ma Jianjun, the top student in the whole school, probably wouldn't dare make such a boast! High school math might only have a few textbooks, but the problems derived from their contents were endlessly varied. And he was claiming he knew them all?
This wasn't just ordinary arrogance. It was laughable! Chen Zhao, the last-place student in the class, failed every math test. What kind of madness had come over him that he'd say something so outrageous?
The class laughed for a while, then looked up at their homeroom teacher. The teacher was glaring furiously at Chen Zhao, veins bulging at his temples. Afraid that he might lose his temper, the students bit the insides of their cheeks to hold back their laughter, and the classroom fell silent.
"I'm giving you one last chance. Go stand at the back for the whole morning like a good student. I'll pretend I didn't hear that nonsense you just spouted!" The homeroom teacher was so angry that the veins at his temples stood out.
Everyone thought that since the teacher had offered him a way out, Chen Zhao ought to take it. He could stand at the back for the morning, and that would be the end of it. Chen Zhao had often stood at the back over the past three years; it wasn't as if he wasn't used to it.
But, to everyone's surprise, Chen Zhao still wore a cold expression as he repeated himself:
"I've mastered every high school math problem. If you don't believe me, you can test me right now!"
The class stopped laughing. They sighed and cursed under their breath:
"Chen Zhao's seriously got something wrong with him. He just has to piss off the homeroom teacher. Now the teacher's angry, and we'll get extra homework tonight!"
"He's been given a way out, but he won't take it. Is he an idiot?"
"He knows every high school math problem? With Chen Zhao's scores, he might not even be able to do a textbook example!"
"Did he come to school after downing three ounces of Red Star Erguotou?"
As the classroom grew restless, the front door suddenly opened!
A bespectacled middle-aged man walked in. He had a commanding presence and an air of authority that made him seem fearsome even without anger. The class fell silent at once, looking startled.
It was none other than the grade director!
Chen Zhao's face suddenly went pale. He remembered now. The pressure of senior-year exam review had many students sleeping at the back of the classroom during lessons. After the school leaders noticed, they'd started sending directors into classrooms. Every so often, one of them would make a surprise inspection. Any student caught sleeping or breaking classroom rules would be sent home for a week to reflect!
And today, it was this class's turn! By sheer bad luck, the director had caught Chen Zhao arguing with the homeroom teacher!
The homeroom teacher and Chen Zhao had both been shouting loudly, so the grade director had clearly heard them from the hallway. As soon as he came in, he went straight over to speak with the homeroom teacher.
The two of them spoke in low voices. The homeroom teacher showed the director Chen Zhao's test paper, and the director's face turned ashen in an instant. He was clearly furious!
Chen Zhao swayed slightly, almost collapsing. He'd heard plenty of stories about the grade director. He was strict and harsh, and hated nothing more than students who disrespected teachers or cheated and tried to get away with it. But from the looks of things, the director thought Chen Zhao was guilty of both!
The grade director turned and fixed Chen Zhao with an authoritative stare.
"You've talked back to your teacher, copied your homework, and disrupted class. You've been warned repeatedly, but you keep doing it. I'm sending you home to reflect for a week. Any objections?" the director said sternly.
A chorus of sharp intakes of breath came from the class.
There were only a few months left until the college entrance exam. Every day of lessons and review was crucial. If Chen Zhao went home to reflect for a week, he'd never catch up. His chances of doing well on the exam would be ruined!
What a harsh punishment!
He hadn't been expelled, but there wasn't much difference! Chen Zhao would fall behind in his studies, and his college entrance exam results could plummet!
Chen Zhao's face was as pale as paper. He hadn't expected the director to hand down such a harsh punishment. But thinking about it, he could understand. He was sitting in the very back corner of the classroom, clearly a poor student who wouldn't get into college. On top of that, he'd disrupted class and interfered with the studies of students who could get into college. Of course, a teacher had to protect the learning environment for the majority of students. Sending him home for a week was meant to make an example of him and restore order!
But... he couldn't accept it!
He'd been wronged!
He had to fight for himself!
Chen Zhao took a deep breath and said firmly, "I may have done this test paper sloppily, but I really did solve every problem on my own."
"My math scores used to be terrible, but I've been working hard on my review lately, and something's finally clicked."
"If you don't believe me, you can give me any high school math problem. I'll solve it right here."
After Chen Zhao finished speaking, the grade director and the homeroom teacher looked even colder, their faces growing angrier. They clearly didn't believe him. A student who failed math every time suddenly claiming he could do everything? It simply wasn't possible.
The director glared at Chen Zhao, his face full of anger, and spoke:
"Fine, Chen Zhao. I'll give you problems, and you'll solve them on the blackboard. I'll give you three in all. If you get them all right, then we were wrong to accuse you, and I'll apologize. After the college entrance exam, I'll pay for a guidebook to help you choose your university preferences, and I'll find a teacher to help you with your choices. If you get even one problem wrong, you'll go home to reflect for a week and receive a disciplinary warning. Do we have a deal?"
The students all turned to look at Chen Zhao. Being sent home to reflect for a week was serious, but if he studied hard at home, perhaps it wouldn't have too great an impact. A disciplinary warning was different. It would go into Chen Zhao's personal and school records. It could affect his future college applications, job searches, and even loans!
This was a serious punishment!
And a huge gamble!
Would Chen Zhao take it?
Chen Zhao didn't say a word. He left his seat and strode to the front of the classroom. He quickly erased a patch of the blackboard, took a piece of chalk from the box, and turned to face the director.
"I'm ready. Please give me the problems!"
The director looked somewhat surprised, but Chen Zhao's arrogance and audacity quickly made his expression turn even uglier.
Before becoming grade director, he'd been a high school math teacher, and he knew the subject inside out. So he didn't look at any books or materials. He simply began:
"I'll dictate the problem, and you'll write it on the blackboard. This is the final multiple-choice question from a math exam ten years ago."
As soon as the principal said this, the students' faces changed.
Multiple-choice questions followed a pattern. The first few were easy enough that even a middle school student could solve them.
But the further you went, the harder they got. The very last multiple-choice question was often too difficult even for top students. The math teacher had once told the class they could simply skip the final multiple-choice question and guess A, B, C, or D. Whether they got it right was down to luck. After all, if they couldn't solve it, they might as well save the time for the problems that came later.
But now the director was going to test Chen Zhao with the hardest multiple-choice question of all?
Was he planning to knock him out right from the start?
Before you continue